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I met her eyes in the low light of the cave entrance. “Thank you.”
She gave me a curt nod as Sai cried out, “Over here.”
We jogged towards him, and I sang lights to swirl around my head, illuminating our path. Luz lay sprawled out, their braid sticky with blood. I dropped onto my knees. “Oh God, Luz.”
Rainoe lowered beside me and hummed, her eyes gleaming a juniper green. She looked up at Sai. “They’ll be all right. See if you can release the rest of your team while Lira and I help them.”
Sai’s expression looked like he’d swallowed something and suddenly realized it was poisonous. “All right.”
Rainoe offered me her hand and I took it. “If you accept, I’ll draw on your magic—only a bit—so you can feel what I’m doing.”
“Of course,” I said.
Rainoe sang, her magic grazed against me before it swept through my bones and clattered through the chambers of my pounding heart. I took a breath and felt her song rake along Luz’s form and concentrate on their head. A gash wept blood and Rainoe expanded her song with notes that rose before falling in sharp plunges. Her powers knitted Luz’s head like beads sliding onto a bracelet. She used the magic with the skill of someone crocheting a delicate doily, each note like a unique loop in the pattern, reacting to every section of the injury on its own.
I understood now what she meant about my approach being aggressive. Her magic fizzled through me and around Luz with the power of a typhoon but with the delicate touch of frost crawling over a petal. She worked quickly, and I gaped as Luz’s head sealed back together.This is magic,I wanted to say but stopped myself when I realized how foolish that would be.
Luz sucked in a breath before opening their eyes. They jumped to their feet, stumbled, and pressed their hands against the cave wall as they yanked a knife off their hip. “¡El pendejo!” They swung around to face us. “Where the fuck is she? I’ll rip her throat out.”
Rainoe stood and crossed her arms before answering dryly. “I’m fine with that as long as you don’t drag her to my door to heal afterwards.”
Luz spat against the stone ground as their arms trembled. “I don’t intend for her to walk away, the bitch. I cannot believe some mother fucking Froh got the jump on me.” They scrubbed a hand over their face then rubbed their head before pulling their hand back, sticky with blood. “¡Ay!” They spread their fingers, looking at the blood as it glistened in the lights I’d sung forth. They raised their face to Rainoe. “I suppose I owe you thanks.”
Rainoe shrugged. “You’re welcome.”
Luz released another breath, their posture eased, and they slid their knife back into its sheath. I couldn’t help it anymore as I plowed into them and wrapped my arms around them. They startled then patted my back, their voice gentling. “I’m fine, Lira.”
“I thought you were dead.” I leaned back. “Do you know how much you scared Sai?”
“Where is Sai?”
“Getting the others.”
They patted my shoulder again, and I released them. “Did you get the map?”
“Yes.”
“Good. At least some of us were useful today.” They rubbed their head again. “Let’s catch up with Sai and get the hell out of here.”
They stepped farther into the cave, and Rainoe followed. I lingered, though, and raised my hands in front of my face. I remembered the feeling of Rainoe healing Luz, the careful nuances of it like weaving the most delicate yarn. How Luz had jumped up fully recovered.
My magic was powerful.
And good.
I was good.
I curled my fingers and ran to catch up.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
SAI
I jogged towards the cage,my side aching with each breath I drew. Damn this injury to hell. I gritted my teeth and ignored the pain as I shifted my thoughts back to Luz. They were in expert hands with Rainoe, and Lira was with them acting as a guard of sorts. I didn’t doubt she’d unleash her powers in a moment of need.
She saved my life. It washed through me again like a fresh breeze bringing a new season. I wouldn’t be here musing about the pain in my side if she hadn’t.
The relief of that thought allowed me to slow to a walk as I moved into the dimmer part of the cave. Without Lira’s fire or light, it was dark despite my familiarity with shadows and keen eyesight. I could just make out the thick lines of the bars that reflected the barest sliver of bluish light from the mouth of the cave.
